Magnetically supported rubber stamps and the like



Aug. 15, 1961 E. J. SINKIEWICZ 2,996,004

MAGNETICALLY SUPPORTED RUBBER STAMPS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 9, 1959INVENTOR. i Edward J-Sinkiewicz BY FIG-l2 771M124,20%M.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 2,996,004 MAGNETICALLY SUPPORTED RUBBER STAMPS THELIKE This invention relates to stamps, such as the ordinary rubberstamps mounted on wooden bases, and to devices such as racks and boxesfor the holding and storage thereof. In many offices and shipping roomsa variety of stamps bearing different designations are required, and itis important that these may be supported or stored in he most convenientmanner for ready accessibility. The present invention provides means foraccomplishing these results, and in particular it provides a means bywhich ".he stamps are always presented to the user in oriented positionso that the user, upon grasping the stamp, will always find it turned inthe right direction for proper impression of the stamp. Stamps of thecharacter described are usually provided with a marking and a flatlinger surface to enable the user to be sure that the stamp is appliedright side up to the thing to be marked; but in spite of this, it is anevery-day experience of the stamp user to find that frequently, in thehurry of applying the stamp, they have not been grasped properly and theimpressions will be made upside down. The present invention eliminatesthis danger.

A characteristic feature of the invention in its preferred formcomprises the attachment to the stamp body or handle of one or morepermanent magnets, these being attached to one side and spaced from theother side of the stamp. The stamp is used in connection with anonmagnetized but magnetic surface or support of iron or steel. Owing tothe disposition of the magnet or magnets on the stamp close to the rearside of the stamp and spaced from the front side of the stamp, the stampcan only be magnetically supported upon the iron or steel supportingsurface when the back of the stamp is applied thereto. Therefore, thethe front of the stamp is always towards the front, and when the stampis picked off the support by the user, it is necessarily held in rightposition for proper application of the stamp.

The stamp may also be used with a permanently magnetized supporting baror base. In event the stamp has afiixed thereto an armature of soft ironor the like which should be so placed that the stamp can be suspendedonly when the front of the stamp is exposed. Or the stamp may carry apermanent magnet so polarized with respect to the supporting permanentmagnet that it will adhere thereto only when stamp is properly oriented.

Referring to the drawings in detail:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a box having an iron or steel lid shown inraised position with two stamps magnetically applied thereto, the boxcontaining an ink pad or pads.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation with part of the side wall of the lid brokenaway, showing the box of FIG. 1 with the lid closed. The lid is madedeep enough to hold the stamps above the ink pads.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a stamp rack showing three stampssupported thereon.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the rack shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation of a rubber date stamp having a mountingmagnet applied thereto.

FIG. 6 shows a conventional ink pad having a magnetic stamp located ontop thereof.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are elevations showing stamps with holding magnets appliedto the base and handle respectively,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing how the stamp is used.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a bracket carrying a magnet which maybe attached to a stamp.

FIG. 11 is an end view showing a stamp supported by a permanent magnet;and

FIG. 12 is a similar view showing a stamp with a polarizing magnet inits handle supported by a magnetized bar.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the stampcomprises the usual wooden base 10 having a rubber printing face 12 andhaving a handle 14, usually made of wood. In the stamp shown in FIGS. 1,2, 6 and 7, a plurality of small permanent magnets 16 are firmly mountedin holes in the base, these magnets extending close to the back of thebase but being of such size as to terminate a considerable distance fromthe front surface 18 of the stamp. With this construction the stamp willadhere magnetically if the back of the stamp is applied to a support ofmagnetic material such as iron or steel. However, the spacing of themagnet from the front of the stamp is such as to prevent sufficientattractive force being available to support the stamp if the front ofthe stamp is placed against the support instead of the back. Thus, thestamps can only be mounted on the support in the direction oforientation, so that when removed from the support by the operator, theywill necessarily be grasped in the correct Way. Use of magnets spaced onthe body of the stamp also causes the stamp to be firmly held to thesupport Without danger of displacement until manually removed. It isalso possible to mount a magnet 16 in the handle of the stamp, as shownin FIG. 8, this magnet also being spaced from the side of the handlenearest to the front so that it can be applied firmly to the supportonly in proper orientation.

FIG. 5 shows another form of stamp, the common date stamp, which has ametal frame 20 carrying rubber ribbons with the indicia thereon. In thisinstance the magnet 22 may be mounted on a bracket 24 attached to thestamp. The magnet 22 will be located on the back of the stamp so thatthe stamp will be held in proper oriented position.

The magnet or magnets used may be of any suitable form, such as barmagnets, or they may be short magnetized blocks mounted in holes in thewooden stamp bases or handles. One way of mounting the magnet may be bymeans of a bracket of non-magnetic material such as 24 shown in FIG. 10which may be readily applied to stamps of existing design. The bracketis shown as provided with a large hole 50 through which the handle stemor attaching screw passes, the bracket being clamped between the handleand frame of the stamp in the case of a stamp such as the metal framestamp shown in FIG. 5. The bracket may also conveniently be providedwith small holes 52 for attachment by screws to a wooden block base asshown in FIG. 9. The fronts of the magnets are preferably exposed,although a thin covering which will not prevent the magnetic attractionbeing exercised upon the metallic support will not interfere withoperation of the device. It is important, however, that the magnetshould be spaced sufficiently from one surface of the stamp as to insurethat the stamp can be applied to the metallic base only in orientedposition.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show how stamps may be conveniently used with an ink padbox 25 having a deep cover 26 of magnetic material so that the stampsmay be placed inside of the cover, where they will be readily graspedwhen the cover is opened.

FIG. 6 shows how a stamp may be mounted on a conventional shallow padbox by being applied to the outside of the cover.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a form of rack comprising a back plate 30 to which anumber of rack bars 32 of iron or steel are applied. These may haverearwardly oflset ends 34 attached to the back plate. Also attached tothe back plate are shelves 36 and 38 for holding'additional stamps, inkpads or the like. .These shelves preferably may have front flanges 40 ofmagnetic material to which stamps may be applied, as to the rack bars32.

In some instances, as shown, for example, in FIG. 11, the stamp maybeused with a permanently magnetized support or rack.60, the stamp havinga base of non-magnetic material provided on one side with a member ofmagnetic materialsuch as an iron plate 62 which need not .be permanentlymagnetized but which should be spaced far enough from the front side ofthe stamp to prevent adherence of the stamp to the rack in reversedposition.

FIG. 12 illustrates a construction in which both the support and stampinclude permanent magnets, the magnet 64 in the stamp being polarizedwith respect to the support magnet 66 so that it will adhere theretoonly when the proper pole is presented, thus insuring correctorientation. vIf it is attempted to place the stamp against the supportin reverse position, it not only Will not adhere but will actually berepelled.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it isunderstood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration, andthat various omissions or changes in shape, proportion and arrangementof parts, as Well as the substitution of equivalent elements for thoseherein shown and described may be made Without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In combination, a support including a magnetized body, a printingstamp for temporary attachment to said support, said stamp having apermanent magnet fixed thereto in predetermined polarized relation tothe printing surface of the stamp, whereby the stamp will adhere to thesupport only in an oriented position determined by the relativepolarities of the magnets on the support and stamp.

2. In combination, a printing stamp having a base of non-magneticmaterial having a printing face on the bottom thereof and having a bodyof permanent magnetic material fixed near one side thereof and spacedfrom the opposite side thereof, in combination with an ink pad boxhaving a cover of magnetic material spaced from the ink pad a suificientdistance to permit the said stamp to be located inside of the pad cover,the spacing of the body of magnetic material on the stamp base from therespective sides of the base being such that the stamp Will adhere inmagnetically supporting engagement With the box cover in only oneposition of orientation of the stamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,117,364 Folger Nov. 17, 1914 2,049,599 Weissman Aug. 4, 1936 2,268,023Dunn Dec. 30, 1941 2,594,955 Markowitz Apr. 29, 1952 2,642,999 McPhersonJune 23, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,163 Germany Mar. 7, 1931

